185:. In the United States this change in the Comintern line saw members of the Communist Party attempt to join and seek to exert influence within established political organizations, such as the Washington Commonwealth Federation. Although they were initially banned from membership by the CBI, some Communist Party members were elected by labor groups as delegates to the April 1936 convention of the WCF. Following that gathering, Communist participation was formally allowed by the convention's refusal to reinstitute the previous exclusionary rule.
155:
117:"The CBI believed EPIC offered an excellent model for social and economic reform and struggled to find political candidates to promote its expansion into Washington State. Under this plan, a state industrial commission would be created to launch state-owned farms and industries to employ those who could not secure employment in the
272:
To some extent, the
Washington Commonwealth Federation was effectively killed by its wartime success. By the end of World War II, the WCF stood as the single most important political influence in the politics of the Democratic Party of Washington. From the perspective of the group's leadership, its
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between 1936 and 1939, including 11 members of the
Washington House of Representatives and 3 State Senators. WCF-backed politicians constituted fully one third of the seats in the 1937 Washington House, a voting bloc that enabled the passage of a bevy of bills addressing longtime progressive
200:
Costigan later estimated that by 1937, 56 of the 72 members of the WCF's governing
Executive Board were members of the Communist Party. Another reliable insider indicated that 90 percent of those employed by the WCF's newspaper were CPUSA members, including both of the publication's editors.
129:
While the CBI in
Washington did not achieve the same sort of explosive growth exhibited by the EPIC movement in California, the group still won the support of some key farm and labor organizations in the state. The group moved to further expand its range of influence in October 1935, when a
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The
Communist Party showed a pattern of impressive growth in Washington state during these last years of the 1930s. From a membership of 1,137 in 1936, total CPUSA membership in the state grew to 5,016 by the end of 1938 and continued to increase in the first months of 1939.
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severely weakened the WCF with many non-Communist members ending their participation. The
Communist Party came to exert decisive influence in the organization, which began to closely follow the CPUSA's national political line, with its Executive Secretary,
35:
in 1934 as "Commonwealth
Builders, Incorporated" (CBI). The organization changed its name to Washington Commonwealth Federation in 1935. The organization did not run political candidates in its own name but rather functioned as an organized
276:
The WCF also faced determined opposition from an unlikely alliance, however. The 1938 elections were marked by centrist "Regular" Democrats attacking WCF-backed candidates in the primaries, followed by conservative
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for the
Communist Party." In the conservative political climate of the late 1950s, many of the programs backed by the WCF would be ultimately reversed. The anti-WCF offensive would achieve full flower in the 1948
236:
of August 1939, the WCF began to denounce
Roosevelt as a warmonger, further isolating the organization from its base of support within the state Democratic Party. Membership in the organization plummeted.
188:
A short period of organizational growth and seemingly bright prospects followed communist entry into the organization. The positive outlook soon dissipated, however, as by 1938 factional disputes and
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to achieve a "Cooperative
Commonwealth" that included government ownership of banking and large-scale industry, state aid to farmers and small businesses, and the establishment of a network of
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would be used to pay employees and to purchase goods within the system to ensure the rate of return. Essentially, the people involved would produce goods for use and not for profit."
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1937-1999. 2.11 cubic feet (2 boxes, 2 cassette tapes, and 1 vertical file.) Contains records of Huff describing the dissolution of the Washington Commonwealth Foundation.
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306:, the Washington Commonwealth Federation marked perhaps the most effective alliance between Communists and non-Communists of anywhere in the US in the Depression.
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252:, the political ground upon which the WCF stood shifted again. The organization made a dramatic comeback, however, electing a number of its members to the
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701:"Building the People' Republic in Washington State: The Washington Commonwealth Federation, Comintern Foreign Policy, and the Second World War,"
121:. Employees would produce goods to be sold in state-owned stores and the employees would in turn purchase these same goods. A separate form of
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However, with pervasive CP control of the WCF's organizational apparatus came a desire to use the group's public clout to advance the
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48:
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Platform and Constitution: With Resolutions and Statement on Political Policy: Adopted by the Seventh Convention, February 3–4, 1940.
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In September 1938 the organization marked its growing affection for the social program of Roosevelt, changing its name again to the
41:
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720:
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of the Washington Legislature, which would dedicate itself to the exposure of the WCF as a surreptitious Communist front.
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253:
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The Washington Commonwealth Federation was launched in August 1934 as "Commonwealth Builders, Inc." (CBI) by a group of
683:. 1935. 1 leaf; 28 x 22 cm. Pacific Northwest Historical Documents Collection at UW Libraries Special Collections.
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mission had been fulfilled, and the federation was dissolved as an unnecessary component of state Democratic politics.
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721:"'Fascism and Its Ally, Racism': The Complexities of the Washington Commonwealth Federation's Stance on Civil Rights,"
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began to steer the national political parties obedient to it away from the ultra-radical rhetoric of the so-called "
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It was a time of substantial influence, with more than a dozen "concealed communists" elected to the statehouse in
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481:
Communism in Washington State: History and Memory, University of Washington, Seattle, 2002, depts.washington.edu/
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181:" and towards a more moderate building of alliances with non-Communist individuals and groups, policies known as
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711:"'To Vote Democratic, Vote Commonwealth': The Washington Commonwealth Federation's 1936 Electoral Victory,"
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Seattle: Washington Commonwealth Federation, 1940. (WorldCat lists one copy, University of Michigan.)
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95:
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In January 1943, the WCF changed the name of its official organ to its sixth and final incarnation,
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659:. 1892-1994. 60.43 cubic ft. ( 68 boxes plus 2 oversize folders, and 1 oversized vertical file).
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Throughout its existence, the WCF published a regular newspaper, beginning in August 1934 as
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Communism in Washington State, University of Washington, Seattle, depts.washington.edu/
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That name was retained by the newspaper until its termination, in November 1948.
161:, President of the WCF in the late 1930s, was elected to the US Congress in 1944.
146:, and sundry unaffiliated individuals as the Washington Commonwealth Federation.
505:"Washington Commonwealth Builder/ Washington Commonwealth (Seattle: 1934-1937),"
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which was changed again just three months later, with the paper re-emerging as
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The Washington Commonwealth Federation: Reform Politics and the Popular Front.
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Canwell Joint Legislative Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities
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479:"Washington Commonwealth Federation & Washington Pension Union,"
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726:, University of Washington, Seattle, 2009. depts.washington.edu/
716:, University of Washington, Seattle, 2009. depts.washington.edu/
706:, University of Washington, Seattle, 2010. depts.washington.edu/
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In August 1936, the name of the paper was changed again, now to
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to Washington state as a means of alleviating the misery of the
465:
First Edition. New York: Garland Publishing Co., 1990; pg. 820.
671:. 1938-1985. 4.87 cubic ft.( 11 boxes, 1 map tube, 1 package).
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in 1934. The name of the paper was shorted in October 1935 to
98:. These individuals were greatly influenced by the efforts of
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Ph.D. dissertation. University of Washington, Seattle, 1975.
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510:, University of Washington, Seattle, depts.washington.edu/
213:, passage of a pure food and drug act, establishment of a
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convention was held that brought together members of the
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Flier advertising a mass rally to end poverty by the WCF
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The American Communist Movement: Storming Heaven Itself.
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The Heyday of American Communism: The Depression Decade.
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John de Graaf, "Washington Commonwealth Federation," in
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in the fall, both of which groups derided the WCF as a "
67:, the WCF was dissolved in 1948, during the era of the
197:, secretly a member of the Communist Party from 1936.
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years of the late 1930s. Charged by critics to be a
609:"The 1948 Canwell UnAmerican Activities Hearings,"
113:In the estimation of one student of the movement:
765:Factions in the Democratic Party (United States)
665:.1933-1989. 6 cubic ft. (6 boxes and 1 package).
106:(EPIC) of 1934, marked by Sinclair's run for
47:Originating out of an interest to expand the
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750:1948 disestablishments in Washington (state)
336:That name was retained until the middle of
110:behind the slogan of "production for use."
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549:New York: Twayne Publishers, 1992; pg. 87.
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232:of CPUSA and the Comintern. Following the
209:concerns, including repeal of the state's
16:Political organization in Washington state
740:1934 establishments in Washington (state)
523:New York: Basic Books, 1984; pp. 253-254.
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724:The Great Depression in Washington State
714:The Great Depression in Washington State
704:The Great Depression in Washington State
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217:for state employees, establishment of a
21:Washington Commonwealth Federation (WCF)
677:. 1895-1961. 19.5 cubic ft. (40 boxes).
421:
775:Communist Party USA mass organizations
55:, the WCF came to be dominated by the
745:Political parties established in 1934
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545:Harvey Klehr and John Earl Haynes,
316:The Washington Commonwealth Builder
211:California Criminal Syndicalism Act
463:Encyclopedia of the American Left.
256:and electing leading WCF activist
104:End Poverty in California movement
49:End Poverty in California movement
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770:Washington State Democratic Party
622:The Heyday of American Communism,
583:The Heyday of American Communism,
567:The Heyday of American Communism,
534:The Heyday of American Communism,
140:Continental Committee Technocrats
42:Washington State Democratic Party
596:The American Communist Movement,
165:In the aftermath of the rise of
242:Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
760:Politics of Washington (state)
1:
675:Naomi Achenbach Benson Papers
411:Socialist Party of Washington
320:The Washington Commonwealth.
254:Washington State Legislature
244:, which pushed America into
240:Following the December 1941
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302:In the view of historian
134:, the Liberty Party, the
175:Communist International
132:Washington State Grange
663:Howard Costigan Papers
657:Robert E. Burke Papers
636:Albert Anthony Acena,
334:Washington New Dealer.
221:, and other measures.
162:
144:Democratic Party Clubs
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108:Governor of California
687:Henry P. Huff Papers.
183:Popular Front tactics
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96:consumer cooperatives
86:who sought effective
219:graduated income tax
508:Labor Press Project
376:Mary U. Farquharson
57:Communist Party USA
27:established in the
669:Hugh DeLacy Papers
594:Haynes and Klehr,
326:Commonwealth News,
248:as an ally of the
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503:Jessica Dunahoo,
477:Jennifer Phipps,
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281:opponents of the
150:Communist control
59:beginning in the
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719:Catherine Roth,
699:Skyler Cuthill,
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330:The Sunday News.
234:Nazi-Soviet Pact
102:in his maverick
88:political action
69:Second Red Scare
53:Great Depression
23:was a political
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378:(co-founder)
367:Hugh De Lacy
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338:World War II
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310:Publications
304:Harvey Klehr
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287:Trojan Horse
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246:World War II
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215:minimum wage
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179:Third Period
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81:middle-class
78:
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20:
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258:Hugh DeLacy
190:red-baiting
159:Hugh DeLacy
734:Categories
709:Drew May,
455:Paul Buhle
417:References
391:Louis Sass
279:Republican
230:party line
84:socialists
33:Washington
268:Last days
651:Archives
624:pg. 257.
585:pg. 256.
569:pg. 255.
536:pg. 254.
461:(eds.),
405:See also
283:New Deal
123:currency
92:producer
75:Founding
620:Klehr,
598:pg. 93.
581:Klehr,
565:Klehr,
532:Klehr,
260:to the
206:Olympia
171:Germany
40:in the
38:faction
457:, and
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298:Legacy
167:Nazism
607:See:
94:and
19:The
169:in
31:of
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